This invention relates to a heat exchanger for a pressurized, closed loop cooling system for an internal combustion engine.
Inboard mounted marine propulsion engines may advantageously be provided with a closed cooling system. The system includes a closed recirculating water loop which circulates coolant through the engine block and couupled to a separate cooling loop through a heat exchanger. The separate cooling loop draws fresh water from the body of water and passes it through the heat exchanger and then back to the body of water. The closed loop system provides maximum protection of the engine from the corrosive effect of the fresh cooling water.
In such systems it is, of course, important to maintain minimal resistance to flow for maximum transfer of thermal energy or cooling of the closed loop coolant. Another significant factor encountered in such closed loop systems is the amount of gases introduced into the coolant passed through the engine. Entrained gases in the coolant minimizes its cooling effect and promotes corrosion and erosion.